Solicit politely in the French Quarter: An editorial

Broad support from French Quarter businesses and residential groups for new rules banning "aggressive solicitation" illustrated the need for the ordinance, and the City Council deserves credit for addressing their concerns. People who live and work in the historic neighborhood had complained about tourists and neighbors being harassed and accosted by people soliciting money for themselves or for causes that were often bogus.

Felipe Dana, The Associated PressA new law will allow street artists to continue soliciting in the French Quarter, but will ban "organized aggressive soliciting" that uses abusive or profane language to cause fear, unwanted physical contact and other tactics.

In response, the council last week approved an ordinance by Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer, whose district includes the French Quarter, banning aggressive soliciting.

The law prohibits solicitation that involves "repetitive soliciting despite refusals, the use of abusive or profane language to cause fear and intimidation, unwanted physical contact, or the intentional blocking of pedestrian and vehicular traffic."

Officials said the ordinance, which they said they modeled on similar statutes in other cities, recognizes free speech rights. They also said that the new law, like an earlier measure to ban "aggressive panhandling" in the Central Business District, was "narrowly tailored" to restrict solicitation only in certain places, times and circumstances. For those reasons, the city expects the law would be able to withstand any potential constitutional challenges.

Proponents also said the measure is not aimed at ordinary solicitation. The law says it won't apply to people who are "passively" asking for money with a sign or by shaking a cup of change or ringing a bell, or "engaging in a performance of art" with a sign or other indication that a donation is requested.

Such street artists and others who solicit politely are an intrinsic part of the French Quarter, and the city needs to make sure that remains the case as it enforces the new law.

But the ordinance is likely to help prevent more than aggressive soliciting. Eighth District Police Commander Jeffrey Walls, whose district includes the French Quarter, testified in favor of the measure, saying that begging by "professional hustlers" sometimes turns into robberies.

That made aggressive soliciting more than just a nuisance, and it's good the council recognized that.